They say that a good teacher can teach, but a great teacher inspires hope, ignites a student’s imagination, and instills in them a love for learning. The faculty at this school take so much time out of their busy schedules to make sure that we become individuals they—and most importantly, we—are proud of.

Bayan's Journey

Conference Work

My project focused on hepatic regeneration in the wake of cirrhosis, or cancer, of the liver. The goal is to understand the function enough to be able to induce the regeneration of the liver—though that’s still a long way off. What we were trying to do on campus was to make a model system in cells (in vitro) for others to work on as they continue researching hepatic regeneration. Creating that model takes a lot of repeating the same trials over and over, and basically doing research “grunt work”—but we were building the foundation to allow for all the next steps to happen.

Drew Cressman (Biology) was my go-to for this project, and he collaborated with me every step of the way in meeting my academic needs. He was my professor in biology and a great collaborator as I worked through each phase of my research.

It was very challenging, but research in general is challenging—and it should be. If research were easy, we would already know everything! I would say that the entire process was incredibly rewarding and made me excited to study medicine and dig in further. Some people might be more wary because of the challenge, but that motivates me.

Research has taught me humility, too, as I’ve had to overcome failure after failure to get to one or two successes—just like everyone else who does this sort of research. I know these lessons will serve me well in the next phase of my life.

Extracurriculars

I belonged to quite a few clubs at Sarah Lawrence. I started off as a first-year ready to dip my feet into every club that sparked an interest: newspaper club, Model U.N., chemistry club, biology club, and so on. By the end of my sophomore year, I was the secretary/treasurer of the Sarah Lawrence American Chemical Society Student Chapter and then became the Vice President. I was also the Vice President and then Co-President of the Brainwashed Club. I spoke at a variety of school-wide and district-wide campus events, gave speeches about my conference work and the benefits of being a Sarah Lawrence student, and was part of the Board of Trustees Mentor Program, under the guide and care of trustee Dr. Clarion Johnson ‘72. I also did a lot of volunteer work, starting off at Saint Anthony’s Free Medical Clinic in the Bronx, where I am now the liaison between the current (and future) Sarah Lawrence students who volunteer at the clinic every Saturday morning.

Being a part of something greater than just a class and words on a piece of paper or in a textbook gave me the further belief that my purpose in life is to truly make a long-lasting impact upon others. Whether I do that personally, or indirectly through teaching others and helping them, I find great joy when the needs of others are met before my own.

My Don:
Colin Abernethy

My don was Colin Abernethy. He, along with a few other professors, had a long-lasting impact on my time at Sarah Lawrence, and I strongly believe that I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for his (and others’) motivation. Colin became my professor, my employer, my confidant, my go-to person to brainstorm ideas, my listener to my problems, my answer to questions, and my friend.

Colin taught me various ways that I can challenge myself. He has given me the tools and knowledge that I need in order to continue to test my skills and work towards success. He has taught me the importance of hard work and has encouraged me to always push past what I can do and strive for accomplishing that which I cannot. He is a strong advocate for each of his students and always took the time out for me to sit down and talk, regardless of whether or not it was related to class or research or a speech that I was preparing.

Because of professors like Colin, Sarah Lawrence always felt like a home away from home. It was safe and comfortable, and a place that I could truly grow as a person.